Stair-tread.



IH.ENGEMANN.

STAIR TREAD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1915.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

INVENTOR Jer6e l'ngemann/ A TTORNEYS rm: COLUMBIA PLANGGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, n. C.

' UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

HERBERT ENGEMANN, oE SALT LAKE CITY, U-TAH.

STAIR-TREAD.

To all whom it may concern:

.dent of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Stair- Treads, of which the following is a sp eci- I fication. r 7

One of the principal objects of my invention contemplates the provision of a stair tread of such nature as to economize the use of carpet or other material employed, by eliminatingthe use of the carpet on the risers of the stair-way, and by providing for the exposure at will of previously protected fresh sections or areas of the carpet to replace the portions which have become worn and disfigured, so that in time all of the material will be used before such material is discarded.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stair-tread in the nature of a plurality of tubular covering members I formed of stair carpet or other desirable material, each of which encompasses a metallic plate whose function it is to retain the carpet inproper form, means being pro vided in the nature of metallic rails or plates attached to the stairs for engaging the tread member at the ends thereof for retaining them in proper position on the stairs, the construction being such that when the tread members become worn on their exposed surfaces they may be slipped around the forms so that fresh surfaces will be exppsedand the worn surfaces hidden from view.

A further object of the invention is to stair treads constructed according to my 1nvention. Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary Specification of Letters Patent. P te t 191 Application filed September 3, 1915. Serial No. 48,887. I

perspective view in {detail of one of the treads. Fig. 3 represents a view'in perspectlve of-the filler plate or metallic form. Fig. 4"represents a view inperspective-of the-tubular carpet within which the form is mserted. Fig. 5 represents a 'view'in perspective of one of the, retaining platesor rails. Fig.6 represents a view in section. taken-through a portion of a stair-way showing the position of the device before it is finallysecure'd in place and before'the carpet has been finally stretched upon the metallic form. Fig.- 7 represents a similar view showing the position of the parts after the carpet has been stretched, and the device secured 1n permanent position. Fig. 8 represents a view in section taken vertically on the plane indicated by the line 88 of of a substantially rectangular strip of metal having one longitudinal edge downturned approximately at right angles. as at 6. The

width "of the plate from the flange 6- to the opposite edge thereof, is approximately equal to the width of the steps to which the device is to be attached. and the width of the flange itself is substantially equal to the thickness of the nosing of the step. This metallic form is adapted to be inserted within a tubular member 7 made of stair I carpet or of other desirable and suitable materlal. Y

The tubular member 7 may be woven in such manner that no seam appears, or may be made from strips of carpet of suitable length, the ends of which are turned upon the strip and stitched together as at 8;

WVhen the form is inserted within the tubular member, the latter substantially loosely encompasses the form.

In securing the device in place upon a stairway, it isfirst arranged upon the step in the manner indicated in Fig. 6, with the flange 6 extending beyond the'front edge of the strip and extending downwardly in the manner shown. By forcing the form rear wardly so as to abut at its rear edge against, the adjacent riser, the carpet is stretched upon the form by reason of the forward edge or nosing of the step entering into the angle'defined between the body and flange portions of said form. The device in this position is indicated in Fig. 7.

In order to retain the tread in place upon the step the rails or plates 9 are employed! Each of them is of a length substantially equal to the Width of the stepto'ivhich it is to be applied. The rails are provided with a plurality'of spaced openings 10 forthe' reception of fastening elements such as screws 11, whereby they may be attached to the steps in the manner shown. I 7

Each of the plates or rails 9 has its inner edge .bent into angular relaticn With the main portion of the rail, or offset as it were in the manner shown, and this angularly arranged inner edge is-adapted to engage upon the tread member at one end thereof. The elements 11 are then anchored so that the treadis clamped in position upon the steps.

When the exposedsurfaces of the tread become Worn or disfigured, the plates or rails 9 which retain it in position may be unloosened by partially withdrawing theretaining elements 1 1, and the tread may be Withdrawn or removed and the carpet or tubular member 7 be turned ior rotated about the form .5 until theunused surfaces have been exposed on the upper side of the form. and the old Worn out surfaces positioned on the under side thereof. The device may then be placed upon the step and reinserted b'eneath the retaining plates 9, and the latter clamped into position. V I

Such a device as I have described-provides for the-economical use of the tread material because all of the surfaces of the material used are sooner or later brought into play, and because the use of the tread material on the risers of the stair-Way is done away with.

An advantagefurther rises from the fact that the grain of the Wood, should thestair- Way be constructed of Wood, can be: displayed on the risers. Further, an extremely sanitary method of carpeting astair-Way is provided by my device because the carpet fits snugly around the form of the filler plate and em gages around the ncsingand at its ends is tightly clamped down by the rails 9. Thus no crevices or creases in Which dust and foreign matter might accumulate occur, and the pocket for the collection of dust and dirty afforded by the ordinary method of continuing stair carpet from the nosing to the stair below i eliminated.

The metal rails which are used in clamp; ing the device in place lenda finished ap pearanceand render the effect-an extremely pleasing one. v

The double thickness of carpet afforded by the tubular membermakes the use of stair pads unnecessary, and adds very materially to theresilience and liveliness of the treads, thus decreasing substantially thG diS-z comfort and inconvenience of stair climbingy Although l have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desire t0? make such changes in; the construction; comto overhang the nosing of 'a'ste'p, a zfiexible 7 5;

tubular memberrvvithin which saidformvis inserted, and a pair of retaining railsadapt ed to be removably secured upon a step and; having their inner edges bent into angular relationwvith theb'ody portions of therails and adapted to engage upon the tread, at the ends thereof for clamping said tread in po sition. V

2. A stair tread comprising a. rigidfformi having a depending flange ,provided-al ong-= one edge thereof, a flexibletubular memberwithin which saidformis-inserted; said tubular member being freely; movable'about the form, said form adapted to .be arranged upon a step with the flange overhanging the- .90

nosing of the step, and means detachablyq connected with the stepJand adapted to en.-

gage the ends of the treadfor ,retainingthe latterin place upon the step.

SLIn a device of the classzdescribedthe combination of a rigid form, a flexible tubue I lar-member surrounding the fo'rmand mov; ableabout the same, and-rails adapted to be connected With'a step for engaging the tubuthem iii-place upon the step;

A stai'r tread includinga frigid? forme and a tubular member surroundingtthe form; andadapted to be turned; upon thefo-rmgat lar member and form; whereby to zretain- -1 0 0 will; for exposing-new surfaces for use, and i means for detachably' retaining the tubular;

member andform in place uponaa step; V

5. The combination with a step, of a fieki ble tubular member, a ri gid form loosely fit,-

ting therein and having a portion extending 1T0 at an angle to the main portion thereof, whereby to receive the nosing of thestep for stretching the'tubular member on the fame, and means for detachably retaining the member and form in place upon the step.

HERBERT: ENGEM-ANNa Witnesses HARRY E. CORSER,1 TINA ZIGLER.

Copies of this patent may .be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the .Cqmmissioner o1 :lat en t'a Washington, D. C. V 

